


operation: proposal

by tatoeba



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 09:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14133495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatoeba/pseuds/tatoeba
Summary: Yixing's all ready to propose, but things don't go exactly as planned. Instead, he thinks, it turns out even better.





	operation: proposal

**Author's Note:**

> hello friends apparently i write baekxing whenever i need a break from the long baeksoo i've been working on for months so!! here we are. inspired by this [tweet](https://twitter.com/moxxiecity/status/978227860581187584) i saw the other day. 
> 
> thank u to bianca for looking this over as always ilu ❤ i hope yall enjoy :)

These past six months have been the longest they've gone without seeing each other. Sure, there's the near-daily phone calls, the weekly video chats over Skype, the emails and texts they send when they're too busy to connect any other way, but it's not the same. Six months is a long time to go without seeing Baekhyun's face in person, without feeling Baekhyun's hands in his, tasting his lips, hearing the bright, beautiful sound of his laugh.

Yixing misses Baekhyun so much. But they knew, going into it, that they could deal with the separation as long as they worked at it. And they have, painstakingly, desperately, over the past two years. Sometimes Yixing still longs for the four years they were together before that, before Baekhyun had taken the incredible promotion opportunity at his company’s London branch, and had said goodbye to New York City, and to Yixing.

It could've been the end for them, but they loved each other too much to let it go. It hasn't been easy, but they've managed. After the first few times, the eight-hour flight across the ocean became as natural as breathing.

And this time, _this time_ Baekhyun is coming home for a whole month. An entire month of waking up to Baekhyun's pretty slumbering face in the mornings, an entire month of eating dinner together curled up beside each other on the couch, an entire month of holding his hand and kissing him and telling him how much he's missed him.

"I can't wait to see you," Yixing tells him for possibly the hundredth time in the hour they've been on the phone that night.

"Me either," Baekhyun sighs wistfully. "Three more days. Soon."

"Not soon enough," Yixing says, closing his eyes and imagining Baekhyun beside him where he's lounging on the couch, waiting for the pizza he ordered for dinner to arrive. He imagines Baekhyun crawling over him, clinging to him, peppering his face in kisses and giggling into Yixing's neck, imagines him whining when Yixing would inevitably have to move to answer the door, but how easily he'd welcome Yixing back after, tossing his legs over Yixing's lap and licking tomato sauce off his lips.

Soon is definitely not soon enough.

"I'll be there before you know it," Baekhyun promises, and all Yixing can do is hold onto that.

 

-

 

He's had the ring for three months. He hadn't been meaning to buy it, hadn't even really been thinking about it, but one Saturday afternoon when Yixing had accompanied his mother on a shopping trip, he'd seen the ring in the glass display and just knew. This was it.

He hadn't bought it that day, no, but the ring had stuck to him for days afterward. Whenever they video called, he pictured Baekhyun wearing it, imagined the way it'd feel every time to see that beautiful silver ring on his slim finger, and the more Yixing thought about it, the more it felt right.

The girl who rang up his purchase on the Tuesday night that Yixing caved told him, "Good luck," after handing him the small bag, the ring neatly resting in its black velvet box inside.

Yixing had taken it back home with a pounding heart and hid it away in one of the dresser drawers and hasn't looked at it since Baekhyun had booked his flight home a month ago.

That day he'd taken the ring out once again, admired its simplicity, the narrow ring of diamonds around the middle. He still felt as strongly about it then as it did the first time he had seen it, and that's when he knew he'd made the right decision. He loved Baekhyun and he wanted to be with Baekhyun, always. That hasn't changed in the six years they've been together, nor has it changed because they live a whole ocean apart. In fact, Yixing thinks it's part of what makes him even more determined to go through with it.

Baekhyun will be home for a whole month, and Yixing will have so many opportunities to propose, but as the days grow closer to Baekhyun's arrival, he isn't so sure he can hold out that long.

"You want to do _what_ now?" Junmyeon sputters when Yixing meets him after work the night before Baekhyun is meant to arrive.

"I'm gonna propose to Baekhyun," Yixing says as easily as he had the first time. "At the airport tomorrow, when I pick him up."

Junmyeon stares at him for a long moment. "You're serious," he says, when he seems to have regained control of his brain again. He's gaping now. It'd be funny if Yixing wasn't starting to lowkey panic.

"Of course I am," he says.

"Look, I know it's been ages since you've seen him, but do you think that's really the best time?"

"It's _because_ it's been so long, Junmyeon," Yixing says. "I don't want to have to wait any longer. I bought that ring three months ago. I haven't seen him for even longer than that. Why should I have to wait?"

"It's not so much the _waiting_ I'm worried about," Junmyeon says with a sigh. "Do you really want to propose like that in public? Do you think Baekhyun would be okay with that?"

Yixing opens his mouth and then closes it again, considering. Junmyeon does have a good point. Yixing isn't very concerned about what anyone else thinks of him, and this is New York City--public displays of, well, _everything_ are pretty common. He's only concerned about Baekhyun, and about making him feel loved and welcomed and happy.

"Well, I want it to be a surprise," Yixing says slowly, "and it's not like Baekhyun is totally against public declarations of love, you know? The last time he was here, he sucked me off in the middle of--"

"Stop, stop!" Junmyeon exclaims, waving a hand in the air between them. "I don't want to know."

Yixing smirks at him and Junmyeon just grumbles something under his breath and downs the rest of his whiskey. "I'm just saying," Yixing says as he curls his fingers around his own glass. "I don't think Baekhyun would mind."

"You know him best, of course," Junmyeon says. "If you think he'd be into it, then go for it. I definitely support the proposal, you know that right? I just worry about the circumstances."

"I know," Yixing says and he pats Junmyeon's knee in thanks. Then, after a couple of moments of silence, Yixing adds, "Do you think he'll say yes?"

Junmyeon snorts. "Don't be an idiot," he says and Yixing figures that's answer enough.

 

-

 

_landed!!!!!!_

That's the message Baekhyun sent ten minutes ago. Yixing glances down at it again as he checks the time on his phone. His palms are starting to sweat, so he shoves his phone into his pocket and reaches up to undo one of the buttons on his shirt. It's only April, but he feels far too warm, waiting out at baggage claim for Baekhyun to arrive, the bouquet of flowers in his hands growing heavier and heavier with each passing minute.

Maybe the flowers are too much. Baekhyun doesn't mind flowers, that much Yixing knows, but maybe it's overkill? Yixing isn’t sure. Junmyeon would definitely say it's too much, but Junmyeon isn't here to judge him anymore. Yixing just wants this to be special. But it’s been so long that they’ve seen each other that Yixing is suddenly starting to worry he won't be able to say anything to Baekhyun at all because he'll be too busy trying not to break down.

Just as Yixing starts debating over tossing the flowers away again, he hears a familiar voice yell out his name. It jostles him back to reality, to the loud sounds of the bustling airport, an employee's voice over the speakers, the crankling machinery of the baggage terminals, the honking of taxis just outside. And through it all, he finds Baekhyun, emerging from the doors across the way, a heavy duffel bag slung over his shoulders. He's wearing simple jeans and a comfortable knit sweater, soft brown hair just peeking out under a black beanie, and he looks like everything Yixing has ever loved and ever wanted.

Yixing is moving before he even realizes it, and soon enough he's practically colliding with Baekhyun halfway through the hall, Baekhyun's arms wrapping around Yixing's shoulders, Yixing's automatically at home around Baekhyun's waist, and they're pressed so close together it must be impossible to tell where one of them begins and the other ends. Baekhyun is warm and solid against him, and even if his clothes carry that dry airplane scent, he's _here_ , in Yixing's arms, where he's meant to be.

"Fuck," Baekhyun is mumbling into Yixing's shoulder. "Fuck, I missed you."

Yixing laughs, blinking his eyes rapidly to keep the swell of emotion away, and he reluctantly draws back, just enough to hand Baekhyun the flowers. "I missed you, too," he says, and Baekhyun only gives the flowers one perfunctory glance before he's throwing his arms around Yixing yet again.

Only this time he's kissing him, drawing Yixing down to meet his eager lips, and this, _this_ feels like home. Baekhyun's mouth against his, Baekhyun's fingers in his hair, Baekhyun's warmth through his skin, Baekhyun's cloying whimper when Yixing presses in for more, Baekhyun, Baekhyun, Baekhyun--

"I love you," Yixing breathes against his mouth. "I missed you, I can't believe you're here."

"Shut up," Baekhyun says, "If you keep talking like that I'll fucking cry."

Yixing laughs again, but Baekhyun kisses the sound away, planting smacking kiss after kiss against his lips, and then slowing down again, letting their mouths find each other over and over, barely separating. Yixing doesn't know how long they stand there like that, just kissing, just holding each other, but when someone whistles as they pass by, Baekhyun chuckles, drawing away with bright, mesmerizing eyes and a blush across his cheeks. His lips are wet, and Yixing can't stop himself from kissing him once again.

Baekhyun is beaming when he pulls back and he draws the bouquet close to him, taking longer to admire it now, even reaching out to rub his fingers over a few of the petals. "This is for me?" he asks, teasing.

"No, it's mine," Yixing says, pretending to take it back. "Some guy gave it to me while I was waiting, tried to ask me out on a date."

Baekhyun swats him with the bouquet. He's pouting now, eyes narrowed. Yixing laughs, and drags him close again.

"I told him I was taken," Yixing adds, and Baekhyun cracks a smile.

"You do look really handsome," he says, running his eyes appreciatively down to Yixing's chest, lingering where the buttons on his shirt reveal maybe a little too much skin, and then back up. "I guess I can't blame someone for trying to pick you up." He smirks a little. "Did you dress up for me?"

"Yes," Yixing answers, because there's no reason to pretend, and strangely enough it's this that reminds him of the ring in his pocket, of the decision he had made before coming here. He'd meant to propose when he saw Baekhyun, when Baekhyun first came out, Yixing had wanted to surprise him with the flowers, with the ring. However, he's realizing that things like this don't always go according to plan, but maybe that's okay.

"You look so good," Baekhyun says in a low voice, leaning up to speak into Yixing's ear. "But what do you say we go home so I can take you out of it?"

Home. Baekhyun wants to go home. Yixing shudders out a breath and nods, all his original plans be damned. In this moment, all that matters is what Baekhyun wants, and if Baekhyun wants to go home, then Yixing will take him home. The proposal can wait.

At least, that's what Yixing tells himself.

It turns out, on the cab ride back to Yixing's apartment, Yixing is far too aware of the ring sitting in his pocket, all too aware of the plans he'd failed to follow through with. He _wants_ to propose. This isn't just some spur of the moment decision. He's been thinking about it consistently for a month, and while his decision to do it _today_ was only planned recently, he hasn't changed his mind.

He does his best to push the thoughts away, to focus on Baekhyun's quiet ramblings of the flight, the way he holds onto Yixing's hand in the backseat and traces the tips of fingers over Yixing's knuckles, the lines on his palm.

He must not be doing a very good job, because once they arrive home, dragging Baekhyun's luggage to the couch and collapsing together atop of it, Baekhyun reaches out to kiss Yixing's cheek softly and says, "Are you okay? You seem preoccupied."

"Uh, well, actually," Yixing says, fumbling with his words. Baekhyun is watching him closely, curiously, a little crease of worry between his brows that Yixing wants to smooth away. He does, with his lips, and it helps him to relax a little too. This is Baekhyun. This is the love of his life. There's no reason to be afraid, no reason to be nervous.

"What is it?" Baekhyun asks, pulling himself up to sit properly on the couch.

Yixing stands, because he suddenly feels like he can't sit still. He shoves his hand into the pocket of his blazer, curls his fingers around the velvet box, and takes a deep breath. "I was--I was going to ask you this when I saw you earlier," Yixing says. "I had it all planned in my head, like I was so ready for it. But then you were there, and we were hugging, and kissing, and everything else just--it didn't feel as important."

"Yixing," Baekhyun breathes, and his eyes are little wide. Maybe he's guessed already, what Yixing wants to say, so there's absolutely no turning back now. Not that Yixing wants to, anyway.

"I've missed you so much, Baekhyun," Yixing says. "And I love you like crazy. These six months have been...They've been hell without you and I know that even if we're not...Even if we're still not ready to actually be in one place together, you're so important to me, and I think, I think that's enough. I _know_ that's enough.”

"Are you seriously--oh my god," Baekhyun says, and he's standing now too, maybe out of shock, because Yixing's pulled the box out of his pocket and is cracking it open.

"Baekhyun," Yixing says, breathless but sure, "will you marry me?"

Baekhyun is staring at him in stunned silence. His mouth is open and his eyes dance between the ring and Yixing's face. Yixing bites his lip to keep from laughing because his reaction is really cute. This might've not gone the way Yixing had planned, but he did succeed in surprising Baekhyun, enough to even render him speechless which is not an easy feat.

Yixing doesn't want to pressure him, but he can't help but tease, "Are you gonna answer any time soon, or should I put the ring away?"

"No!" Baekhyun yells, far too loud. "Give me that!"

He reaches out to snatch it from Yixing, who pulls it back at the last second, laughing. When Baekhyun pouts, he waves him over. "Come here," he says, and carefully pulls the ring out from the box. He tucks the box back into his pocket so he can take Baekhyun's hand in his, and slides the ring onto his finger. It looks as beautiful there against his skin as Yixing thought it would.

"Is this a yes?" he asks softly, letting his thumb rub over Baekhyun's fingers, and Baekhyun, when he glances back up to him, has tears in his eyes.

"Yes, you dumbass," Baekhyun says, using his free hand to weakly punch Yixing in the chest. "Of course it's a yes! What the fuck!"

He reaches out as if he's going to punch Yixing again, but instead his fingers curl into the lapel of Yixing's blazer and he _pulls_ , hard, until Yixing is falling into him and Baekhyun is kissing his surprised gasp out of his mouth. Yixing groans against his lips, winds his arms around Baekhyun's waist and drags him in even closer. Baekhyun's hands are everywhere, Yixing's back, his shoulders, his neck, his hair, and he clings tighter even as he hooks a leg around Yixing's hip. Yixing easily drops his hands to Baekhyun's butt and squeezes the supple flesh there, delights in the rich moan that Baekhyun releases, and it might have been six months since they've been together like this but it's as if they no time has passed at all with the way they respond to each other naturally.

When Baekhyun jumps, Yixing catches him, lets Baekhyun wraps his legs around Yixing's hips, and Yixing takes one steadying step back before he rights them, holding Baekhyun up. "Fuck," Baekhyun breathes into his mouth, his hands cupping Yixing's face now. Yixing can feel the cool metal of the ring against his skin, can see the flash of silver on Baekhyun's finger if he glances to the right. His heart pounds with love, with desire, with pride.

He walks Baekhyun down the hallway and they fall, a mess of limbs and laughter, into Yixing's bed. Baekhyun's beanie had fallen off somewhere along the way, and his hair is splayed out across the pillow like a halo. Yixing dips down to kiss him again, and again, and again, until Baekhyun is giggling and Yixing is smiling so wide his cheeks start to ache.

"I love you," he says, and Baekhyun's lashes flutter as his eyes fall close with a content little sigh. "I love you," Yixing says again, nosing along Baekhyun's jaw, leaving a little kiss to the mole on his cheek, the one right above his lip.

"I can't believe you just proposed to me," Baekhyun says. "I just got back! I was expecting dinner and a nice long fuck. Not this."

"We can still do those other things," Yixing says, and he rolls his hips down pointedly.

Baekhyun squints at him. "Were you really gonna propose at the airport?" he asks and when Yixing nods, he laughs. "You chickened out, huh?"

"I did not," Yixing protests. "The timing wasn't right. We were too busy making out to suddenly go through with it."

"You totally chickened out," Baekhyun teases, digging his fingers into Yixing's sides where he's weak. Yixing yelps, squirming away, and Baekhyun takes the chance to roll them over, pinning Yixing to the bed as he straddles his hips.

Heat fizzles throughout Yixing's body at the way Baekhyun feels atop of him, the way he's looking down at him, eyes dark, lips quirked.

"It's probably a good thing," Baekhyun says. "I definitely would've fucked you right then if you'd proposed at the airport."

"I think you were considering that regardless," Yixing points out and Baekhyun grins, unrepentant. "I'm sorry if it wasn't that special, I really wanted--"

"Are you kidding?" Baekhyun admonishes. "It was special, Yixing. Because it's _you_ , because it's _us_. I don't need anything flashy, I just--I just want you."

"You have me," Yixing says, lacing his fingers with Baekhyun's and lifting his hand up to kiss his knuckles. "You'll always have me."

"I'll get you a ring too," Baekhyun promises. "While I'm here, we'll find one. Make it even more official."

Yixing nods because he can't seem to find his voice, and pulls Baekhyun down to kiss him instead. "I'd like that," Yixing says, when he can speak again, and Baekhyun beams, satisfied.

He rolls off of Yixing after, choosing to curl up against his side, and lifts his ring-laden hand into the air. The diamonds catch the light streaming in from the windows. "It's really beautiful," Baekhyun says, and Yixing, without wasting a beat, says, "You're beautiful."

"Gross," Baekhyun chides, wrinkling his nose cutely, but then he turns to Yixing, and says, in a soft voice that makes Yixing's heart sing, "I love you."

"You'd better," Yixing jokes. "That ring was expensive."

"Shut up," Baekhyun laughs and tackles Yixing to the bed again. 

 

-

 

Three hours later, when they're curled up naked in bed, Yixing playing with the ring around Baekhyun's finger, Baekhyun suddenly says, "Oh, is that what the bouquet was for earlier? The proposal?"

Yixing feels himself blush a little. He'd kind of hoped Baekhyun wouldn't put the two together. "Maybe," he says.

"You were gonna give me the flowers and then whip out the ring, weren't you?" Baekhyun says, practically vibrating with glee at the revelation. "Oh my god, I'm almost sorry it didn't work out. I would've loved to see what you were gonna do."

Yixing groans, dropping Baekhyun's hand in favor of rolling over to attempt smothering his face into the pillow. Baekhyun laughs, but it's not mocking. He slides a hand down Yixing's back and up again. "I think it's cute," he says, sincere, and Yixing looks back over at him.

"I was all prepared to do it, too," Yixing admits, "but when you showed up, it's like I forgot all about it. All I wanted was to hold you."

Baekhyun wraps his arm tight around Yixing's back, slides in closer and presses a small kiss to his shoulder. "Me too," he says. "Let's never ever go that long without seeing each other again."

"Deal," Yixing agrees readily and seals the promise with a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. ok real talk i hate public proposals (bc of the pressure put on the person being asked not bc i like...hate proposals or love or anything lol) so i juST COULDNT WRITE YIXING PROPOSING IN PUBLIC IM SORRY I JUST COULDN'T
> 
> 2\. me, daily: wow i miss baekxing
> 
> 3\. thank u so much for reading!! i really hope u enjoyed even tho it was cheesy af lol ;_; ❤
> 
> come say hi on [twitter](http://twitter.com/xingkais) | [ask.fm](http://ask.fm/koiyake) | [curiouscat](http://curiouscat.me/xingkais)


End file.
